I’m back! Again!!

 Hello all! 

Totally a test run to see if I want to start blogging again! Let’s see if I can get this ball rocking and rolling! 

Life update: 

Since you read this blog last I have…

1. Been living in Tulsa and loving raising my kids through Covid and a house move.

2. Still teaching orchestra and playing music. I often wonder if I want to change careers, but it’s so hard to make the decision.

3. I’ve become a Reward Style ambassador, a dream for a long time, and I love doing it! It’s been 2 years now, and I am somewhat active on my posts. I link mostly though Instagram, so you can follow me there @symphonychic 

4. I’ve lost 20ish pounds since my 35th birthday 3 years ago, through diet and exercise and a few other avenues that I would gladly discuss if you are interested. 

5. There’s been many concerts, games, celebrations, and memories made, that time has flown!

Hope you are all doing well and I look forward to sharing more soon!

Mrs. S

Urban Safari

The weather in Tulsa had been a drag lately. We expected tons of rain in April, but we didn't get much. May has been rain galore! The weather has been cooler which is why I wore this Colorado inspired outfit to my kids school program. 

They were adorable. Wind players form the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra came and played along to Peter and the Wolf. I was so impressed by the production!

I am loving this stage of the kids life where they are "performing" finally! I have waited years to see my kids sing in choir let alone play an instrument!

Mrs. S

White Party

Who doesn't love a White Party?!

Not this girl.

I love a good excuse to wear white, and it was so much fun deciding what white ensemble I was going to put together after the night was predicted to rain and my choices became very limited.

I went with white linen pants my mother in law gifted me years ago, and a white Target swimsuit that can double as a body suit. I don't own any white shoes, so I went with my nude So Kates.

I completed the look with my trusty white blazer (also a gift from my MIL) and I'm pretty happy with the way the outfit turned out. 

My friend Amelia was my plus one and we had a blast!

Mrs. S

Mother's Day

 This year I went with Pink. My MIL found this dress on eBay and it is Lilly Pulitzer!

Hope everyone had a beautiful Mother's Day!

Mrs. S

Pink

I'm really into Pink Fashion lately...

Mrs. S

Tour Tulsa

My bestie from St. Louis came into town a few weekends ago, and I had so much fun being her Tulsa tour guide!

We had dinner at The Rooftop in downtown BA on Friday, on Saturday we went to the Gathering Place Park which she loved, and we went into downtown Tulsa in the evening to eat at Laffa and the  check out the record store!

She left Sunday but not before stopping by and saying buy.
It was a great weekend!

Mrs. S

Birthday

We Celebrated my 35th Birthday a few weeks ago at Mi Cocina.

It was a great birthday all in all. My students sang happy birthday to me, my co-worker surprised me with an awesome gift, and dinner with family was nice.

I don't really feel any older, but I sure am getting old, lol!

Mrs. S

Colorado

Hello!

Last week, I traveled to Colorado Springs with the high school orchestra students. 

It was a blast!

We arrived Wednesday after a long 12 hour journey, but it was well worth it!

I was so happy to have found a hat I love at Walmart, and I kept my style pretty laid back. 

As you can tell, I wore it quite a bit! 

We went to a local high school to play for a clinician, we visited the Olympic Training center, the Garden of the Gods, the Cheyenne Zoo and the Cave of Wonders. All great spots if you are ever in CO Springs! 

Hope y’all are having a great week!

Mrs. S

Easter 2019

Happy Hump Day, everyone!

I am on my way to Colorado for the annual orchestra trip with the High School students. It’s my first time going on a trip with students, but I look forward to it.

Easter Sunday has come and gone and boy it was a good one!

The twins had an egg hunt, we had a beautiful service at church, and enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Marriott. The weather was amazing, too!

I wore an old dress that I have had for years, mainly because shopping for an Easter dress this year was not a priority for a variety of reasons. 

As you can see, the whole fam was in full

Easter mode, complete with pink and pastels, lol! 

Hope you all had a great Easter Sunday too!

Mrs. S

Rachmaninoff

Hello!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Tulsa Symphony for the performance of one of my all time favorite pieces, Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. I played it in high school and try to go see it as often as I can!

My colleagues and best friend came along and we had such a lovely evening. My friend cracked me up the whole time as she is not your regular symphony goer, but it was entertaining nonetheless!

I wore all black as did my bestie, I think a perfect look for the symphony. 

I guess you can say this is my favorite spot to take pics at the Tulsa PAC, lol!

I wore a sheer A&F mock neck, a pleather skirt, and my Zara shoes I got years ago but find myself wearing them more often than ever. I love when I purchase something that I don’t even realize I’ll wear for years!

Hope you all had a great week,

Mrs. S

Duet

Hello all!

Last Saturday, the Mr and I had a dinner date at a downtown place called Duet. It’s a restaurant turned jazz bar at night, sadly we did not get to hear any jazz because we went too early in the evening... 

It was nice weather so we decided to walk around a bit after. 

Guthrie Green park is in the middle of downtown Tulsa and a great place for music concerts and events. I’ll have to see what they have going onthis summer!

We also walked by the Tulsa Violin Shop, didn’t go in but I snapped a pic of the window display, pretty cool! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Mrs. S

Tchaikovsky: The Man Behind the Music

Hello All

Last Saturday night, I

Attended the ballet with my colleague for the world premier of Tchaikovsky: The Man Behind the Music!

When I say I love Tchaikovsky, it is no joke. The violin and piano concerto are for sure in my top 10 favorite pieces of all time, and I knew the music was going to be amazing. Well, I was right except

I didn’t expect the incredible costumes, the grand sets, the mind-blowing dancing! It was a once in a lifetime experience.

I wore a jumpsuit my MIL gifted me for Christmas. However, in true moi fashion, I accidentally tripped and fell flat on my bottom on the way in! I was mortified, but as all classy ladies do, I got up and kept my head up high. That is until the couples walking near us walked up to me to make sure I was ok, as well as

A guy who ran accross the street to tell me what an “awesome” fall it was...

Yeah. 

Well, you would never guess looking at the photo I took that I had just fallen.

I love the way it makes me

Look taller! 

It was a lovely evening, despite my faux pa!

Mrs. S

Casino Part 2

Hello All!

Last Friday my husband and I went on a date to dinner at a local Cajun place since it is crawfish season and then back to the Casino!

We gambled on the slots and we left with as much as we came with, bummer!

I wore a dress I’ve had for years and had yet to wear. Do you have any outfits that you buy thinking, “I’ll wear it someday, for some reason”?! I have several

of those (yikes)! I was happy to pair it with a denim button down since it was a little chili and I wore my open toed Steve maddens. Once again, my LV pouchette was all I needed for a quick night out :) 

Casino’s have never really been my thing but the past few times I’ve been I’ve had a fun time playing the slots, even getting a bit of a rush! I’d love to try playing the more serious games such as blackjack or poker, but I’m not brave enough yet...

I would definitely wear an outfit like this to a concert, I call it “Spring Cowgirl Chic”

Hope you all had a good week, I’ll be back soon with a recap to our trip to the mountains!

Happy Friday,

Mrs. S

I'm Back!

Hello All, 

I have been waiting a bit to figure out WHY and IF I should start blogging again and I decided to come back!

There are far too many memories I'd like to keep track of on this website and I think changing the name and theme will help me go towards a new and fun direction for my readers. 

I really enjoyed sharing my life first as a newlywed then as a new mom, but now that the twins are 4, I am starting to feel like I need something just for me. I figured the first step is to change the name of my blog. I chose Melody and Style, because I am a musician, and I believe that there are lots of fashion choices I make based on the creativity I have enriched myself through music all my life. There IS melody in fashion... Some people call it a theme, I call it a melody. It is also my wish that you can take away some musical knowledge aside from just be inspired by my outfits and fashion choices.

Here is a pic of me at the Hard Rock Casino with a guitar signed by all members of THE EAGLES! I am wearing a silk tank with a black blazer my MIL gifted me for Christmas a few years back and some Express faux leather leggings. I hardly ever wear my CL So Kate’s so I had to whip them out/kill my feet for the night, and there’s nothing easier to carry than my LV clutch. I usually hold just my cell, credit card/ID, and some lip gloss. 

With spring and summer quickly approaching and several fun events coming up (baby showers, Easter, concerts, etc.) I think it will be so fun to document my outfits and share my thought process on each and every one!

I am excited to continue this journey that I left over a year ago and excited to share what's ahead.

Till next time, Mrs. S.

Lake Life

This past weekend my friend invited me to her lake house at Tenkiller Lake near Talequah.

I had been to her previous lake house years ago (like 10) and really enjoyed it, so I thought it would be great to take the kids. She also has an almost 3 year old so it helped that they would all be playing together the whole weekend.

We left Saturday morning and had a day full of activities. First, we stopped by her mom's store on the way to her dad's new project, an old castle-looking building which he is turning into a wedding venue, then headed to the lake house where we quickly got into our swim suits and headed to the lake for some swimming. The kids really enjoyed swimming and exploring the dock area. Once her dad arrived, we went on a boat ride around the lake. Not only was it perfect weather, but there were not many people out on the water, so we had the lake all to ourselves!

We stopped by the lake marina where we got ice cream and soda pop, then headed back to the dock for some more swimming. After a while we came back in and went on a mule ride around the neighborhood and got to see some really cool propeller planes. The lake house is right next to the lake airport so we even got offered a ride on the planes by the neighbors, we kindly refused.

We had pizza for dinner and hung out around before bedtime. 

Sunday we woke up and had breakfast off the grill. It was delicious and with the weather being cooler, the air was crisp and fresh. We went on another boat ride, and went swimming one last time before heading home and taking a long nap in the car (the kids). It was a great weekend!

Boatin'

Feeding the goats on Goat Island! There is a herd of goats that lives on this small island on the lake :)

Ford was loving the boat ride, but his eyes are sensitive like mine!

Sloane named this fish, Nemo

Thanks for stopping by, hope y'all have a great Labor Day weekend!

~Mrs. S

Update on Twins Version 2.5

Hello!

Since the twins are 2.5 now, I thought I would share some fun updates on their development so far and milestones that I don't want to forget to document!

Both are talking up a storm but are not completely verbal, per say. Ford knows the names of most of the trains on Thomas and Friends, and Sloane is well versed in colors, shapes, doll terms and is obsessed with Beauty and the Beast so she knows all of the characters in that movie! They learn new words everyday and as much as I love to watch them growing in their vocabulary, sometimes I do catch myself wishing they would just be quiet! #momfession

We have started the potty training process but are not anywhere close to being done. Sloane has gone many times with my encouragement but Ford wants no part. I think it's safe to say that it will be a long process but I'm confident it won't be as big of a deal if I just prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Sloane had to make a visit to the Pediatrician and while we were there they measured her and she is in the 100% in weight and height... that was quite the shocker for me, but my husband is 6 3' so if she's tall it will be because of him. Ford didn't get measured that day but they are pretty much the same height and seem to weigh similar so I don't think he's that much different. 

They eat everything and anything I place in front of them. Mostly healthy food, but they are known to enjoy a cookie or two. Not much interest in cupcakes or super sweet stuff, but Sloane does like ice cream. She eats it rarely, as long as she has eaten her full meal. We were at Cheddars the other day and she ate a full jr. burger! Ford only ate the fries but I didn't care as the way I see it as long as one of the twins eats good per meal, it's a success to me!

We decided to do a dance class this semester (for Sloane) in which I will have to be a part of, I look forward to having a girls activity with just her, but I do not look forward to having to "dance" with her. I never did dance growing up, but I am excited to see how she does.

I am also excited to see how they do in soccer as they will be playing in the local YMCA league. We already got their cleats and have been practicing in the back yard. They are both pretty good at it, and I'm interested to see who will like it more!

Since I am going back to work teaching full time, I had to figure out a daycare situation for the kids and God answered my prayers in the most amazing way by providing me with an in-home daycare down the street, as in, on the same block that I live in! As much as I will miss being at home with the kids, I know they will be in good hands.

There are so many other things I would love to mention, but time is of the essence these days and I must get back to cleaning/organizing/laundry/meal-planning/emailing/...breathing before my last day off tomorrow! Yep, I go back to work on Thursday, waa!

Hope you are all having a great week!

~Mrs. S

Checkin' in!

Hello Blogging World!

It's been a hot minute, but

I am hoping to be back, for good!

I've taken a little bit of a break from blogging since we moved and are now in a new city living a totally different life.

We are adjusting well, and have a pretty busy fall lined up. I just wanted to go ahead and make sure that this small space of the internet was still current and up to date on life and it's happenings. 

Since Easter (which was my last post) we have...

1. Moved from Ada, Oklahoma to Tulsa, Oklahoma (A 2 hour drive)

2. Celebrated my 33rd birthday

3. Taken a few fun trips here and there

4. Accepted a job in Broken Arrow Schools as an orchestra director

5. Gone to see a few live music concerts

6. Explored Tulsa's culinary world, Toast in Broken Arrow being my favorite

7. Taken the kids to do fun activities around town

8. Swam at our neighborhood pool, a lot

9. Hung out with family

10. Found a new church home

All this to say, it was no small feat. The past 4 months went by very fast and summer break is quickly approaching its end. 

I look forward to documenting our new life in Tulsa and the fun times ahead.

Hope you all have had a great summer so far and that you decide to follow along!

~Mrs. S

Easter 2017

Hello Lovely readers!

Last Friday we headed to Tulsa for a fun-filled Easter weekend.

We got there Friday night and decided to take the kids to Incredible Pizza. It was the perfect way to start the weekend as the kids played the arcade games, rode the rides, and ate yummy pizza.

We got on a roller-coaster and let me just say, they are NOT MY THING! The kids loved every minute and wanted to go again after it was over, I had a slight headache for hours to come!

Saturday morning we went to the local neighborhood egg hunt. The kids had never been to one, so they had a blast. Some of the eggs had candy which was great, but the kids just found it funny they could go to someone else's yard and get eggs!

Sloane wore her little Easter dress from last year which now fits like a top. She looked so cute in her white jeans, lol!

Ford was amazed at all his findings.

Later that day we headed to another egg hunt at the in-laws and it was also a great time. My MIL got Sloane this dress from the Target Victoria Beckham line and it looked so adorable on her!

Sunday morning we headed to Abiding Harvest church in Broken Arrow for an Easter Festival complete with a petting zoo and more egg hunts!

The kids enjoyed seeing the animals and meeting new friends.

Every year we try to go eat Easter brunch somewhere and this year we went with the Marriott Hotel brunch. It was so delicious and had the cutest ice sculptures. 

I tried to get good pictures of the kids outfits, but these days it is nearly impossible to get them to sit still. I am hoping that gets easier because I really enjoy capturing these memories of them.

Sloane wore a smocked bunny dress and Ford wore his seersucker suit. I don't normally dress Sloane in smocked clothing but I really like that she can most likely wear this dress again next year, even if it is as a top.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Mrs. S

Tulsa Weekending

Hello Everybody!

A few weeks ago, my nephew Benjamin turned 6 and we celebrated by going to Dallas and joining my family for a birthday party at the Texas Rangers current baseball stadium, the Ballpark at Arlington. The park has a "party" area with a play-gym for kids to play and picnic tables where the event was held. The twins had the best time. When it was time to take a tour of the stadium, the kids didn't want to leave!

The tour included the dug-out which was super cool. 

The following weekend we headed to Tulsa for a few pre-Easter activities that were going on. The local LittleGym was having a celebration so we decided to attend and have a little fun.

The kids had never been so it was really funny watching them hanging on the beams and jumping around. They also had treats for the kids so Ford tried some cotton candy.

My F-I-L had planned to take the kids fishing at a nearby pond so we headed out to see if we could catch any fishies. My brother in law caught quite a few, I didn't get so lucky :(

Fun times in Tulsa!

~Mrs. S

A Colorado road trip!

Hello Everyone!

I Have been a little busy lately so I haven't had the chance to blog, at all! I still want to share a few things going on lately!

March 3rd  was the Mr.'s 35th birthday.

We didn't do much, but I did bake him a cake of which he actually had a slice! We went to Tulsa for the weekend and had some fun meals.

The following week we headed for Colorado for a fun road trip to Breckenridge. We drove out at 4:00am and made it to the Royal Gorge by about 2. It was amazing, and there is even a train ride you can take along the river at the bottom. We plan on taking it some time in the future.

We arrived around 4 and headed to our hotel. Breckenridge is unlike any other ski town in that everything is actually walking distance. The town center is where everything is located and we didn't have to drive anywhere. That was super convenient considering we had to drive quite a bit when we stayed in Vail and Aspen.

There was a huge sledding park that the kids really enjoyed. We sled for a bit then hiked up some short trails that were accessible to the kids.

I decided to ski one of the days, and although it would have been more fun with Zac, I actually really enjoyed going by myself. Something about being able to just go for it without having to worry about keeping up or catching up to anyone else. The trails were mostly easy and the few more advanced ones were not over-populated so I had enough room to go slower. I ended up skiing down several trails that I didn't plan to because I would just get on gondolas I would come across. It was scary to not know how high I was going, but once I got to the top I was fine and it wasn't as steep as you would think! Of all the skiing I've done, I think I like Breckenridge the best.

Sloanie and I :)

As much as I wanted the kids to wear their winter gear, it wasn't as cold as I expected which meant lots of vests for us!

The drive there and back was much easier than I anticipated. We had driven once last summer, but we took a scenic route to and from this trip which made it entertaining and fast. It takes us a total of 12 hours to make it there which is not bad at all!

I hope you all enjoyed my recap, thanks for stopping by!

~Mrs. S